By HANNAH TORREGOZA
An official from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board yesterday said motorcycles-for-hire will be declared illegal and will be impounded starting next week.
LTFRB Board Member Antonio Gardiola Jr. said they have recommended the termination of the pilot study meant to assess the safety of bikes for public transport and this was approved by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.
“It’s really very significant but then it’s also half of the three months ‘yung study natin, we cannot gather data because of the legal impediments,” Gardiola said prior to a Senate hearing on the various measures seeking to regulate motorcycle taxis.
Gardiola said they have submitted their report to Congress and will start enforcement next week.
“Parang magulo eh. We are resorting to legal rigmarole sa nangyayaring ito. Bale, nagfile sila ng kaso na nai-impede ang study…We cannot gather data because of actions being undertaken by one of the players, so it is better to terminate it,” he added.
Gardiola, who heads the technical working group heading the pilot run, said that the motorcycle taxis will be deemed illegal.
“So maybe a week from now, we will start enforcement already,” he further said.
“Ilegal silang lahat kasi they are drawing their authority to run motorcycle because of the study. We know there is a law covering this, Republic Act 4136, it says that motorcycles are still considered as a private mode of transportation,” Gardiola said.
The Senate yesterday resumed sessions with senators tackling the various measures that seek to regulate motorcycle-taxis.
Sen. Grace Poe, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, said the panel’s hearing will focus on the results of the pilot run, the supply cap set by the government inter-agency regulator, and the issue regarding the ownership of motorcycle taxis.